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Anti-Trafficking Donor Spotlight

Smoked Pork for Justice: Arkansas Fundraiser Helps Keep 135 Lives Free

smokers lined up ready to barbecue pork

In Rogers, Arkansas, a small life group at a local church is making a big difference in the fight against human trafficking.

Every year, this group of about 10 couples comes together to smoke “pork butts”—which is the Southern term for pork shoulders—as a fundraiser for Love Justice. Over the past four years, their efforts have raised more than $18,500, helping to keep people free from the ravages of human trafficking. 

 

A broken heart for injustice

Jay Baker leads this life group, which started in 2019 at First Baptist Rogers. The following year in 2020, the church hosted a global impact celebration, inviting missionaries they support worldwide to come and connect with different life groups to share more about what they do. The church assigned Libby Swenson, former staff member and friend of Love Justice, to Baker’s group. 

Swenson, who has seen firsthand some of the horrors of human trafficking near one of our stations in South Asia, shared with the group about this great injustice.

Her words had a profound impact on Baker and his life group.

“We have an amazing group that has a huge heart that just said, ‘Wow. We had no idea.’ I think most of the world is that way––we have no idea of what’s really going on with these children around the world. So we said, ‘We have got to do something. I don’t know what, but we have to do something.’” 

Great change in the world often begins with a broken heart for injustice. It is this simple change in our hearts that spurs us into action. 

With a fire in their hearts to do something, Baker’s group took an offering for Love Justice after hearing Swenson share, encouraging everyone to give what they could. But they wanted to do more. 

 

Raising money with “pork butts”

smoking pork butts fundraiser jay baker

The group came up with the idea to sell pork butts—large cuts of meat (around 8–10 pounds) that are a staple in Southern barbecue. 

For this fundraiser, the men in the group line up a bunch of smokers in one of their yards, season the meat, and slow-smoke it overnight. While the meat cooks, the guys keep the smokers loaded with wood and play ping-pong together, and then around 3:00 a.m., they fire up a griddle and cook breakfast and coffee.

“It’s an amazing fellowship with the guys in the class,” Baker said.

pork butts from fundraiser

In the morning, they take the meat to the church parking lot where the people who pre-ordered them can pick them up. They sell each cut for $60 but encourage the buyer to double it as a personal donation. Since it currently costs Love Justice about $120 per intercept, doubling the donation means that each sale helps keep one person free from human trafficking.

“So literally one pork butt can change a child’s life almost for a lifetime, for generations to come,” said Baker. “And it just runs chills to think about the lives that could be impacted from such a small amount.” 

This is the group’s third year doing this fundraiser, and this year alone, they raised over $8,000 to donate to Love Justice. Since the donation was part of a matching campaign, it will be doubled—helping to protect 135 lives from the injustice of human trafficking.

 

Coming together for change

What a powerful impact from a small group of people who let their broken hearts lead them into action! We are so thankful for these inspiring friends and partners.

Is your heart stirring with the desire to do something about the millions of people stripped of their freedom and dignity by human trafficking? Host your own fundraiser or donate at the link below.

 

 

 

 

*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing. Names and some specific locations excluded for privacy and security purposes. 

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